Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-11
". Il. .TayIOI
100, iO7 Houstynsrd 100 Main Street

ton on the right OF local selt-government.
With the exception of these two votes,
majority OF each House concurred in
most, If not al, Of my votes upon the
bill.
/ offered but three amendments to the
bill while il was under consideration in
the House. One Of these was to allow
the drouth sufferers to repurChase their
forfeited homes without loss to them;
anothee was to require a patent TO issue
upon any lSld sold under it, without
three years occupancy, whenever g town
is established thereon; and the third was
TO make the lands clessed as agricultural,
subject 10 sale at all times, notwlthssnd-
ing they might be leased. This last
amendment makes it possible, if
ta2 lanes are fairly classified
and valued, for settler 10
get fOothold in the country,
il matters not how the law Is executed,
and is in direct compliance with the
Democratic platform. All Of these
amendments were adopted and are now
parts Of the law I submit to a generous
public 10 say wlicn of US had & weather
eve on tha rights OF the settler. Before
other detects IN the bill could be cured
i-v au0-onriste amendments, its managers
pa. il through the House under the pre-
vioUs question. You viii doubtless re
wamDyr that when the free conference
committee, Of which ! vas member,
lai this bill under consideration,
pointed out defect IN it
wherein it failed 10 prescribe a penslty
in usgo . purchaser did net reside upon
the land Tor three years, leaving il posi-
Bile tor irnumerable frauds 10 be parpe-
trated by spectators and pretended set
tiers. Ile committee at once recognized
lle force OF my suggestion, and the
Chsirman directed Senator Bell snd my
self to draw NJ "a amendment 70 cure tbs
glaring defect in the bill, which We did,
making he land forfeit to the state il the
purchaser fsils 10 reside upon
It fer three consecutive years
mex efter his purchase.
That amendment became a part Of the
law. These "mutlations' were not II
the bill when it came 10 the House; still
you waited il passed without d change.
This last amendment makes it possible
for the genuine, actual settler only to get
the land, ard thus resCuing il from the
hands Of the pretended settler and land
kiDf I0LGlDlS NE%A 1CGj Va sAOSS ~ IL
"frsmed" and secured the enactment OF
the law, point TO where you did more tC
I protect the state and the actual settler
After the free conference commit
tee had agreed upon its re-
port, you will perhaps remembe,
/ th8t Senator Mcdonald and myself were
: directed 10 superintend the enrolment O.
the law 10 order that it might go 10 tn
Governor fer his approval, exactly as
4 passed both Houses Of the Legislature
+ Thls proves that wGs not regard d b.
the members of the committee as In
/ "b!t:er enemy" Of the bill. 1t shCult
4 also be remembered that l offered tn
amendment which provided for su6jectip:
the leased agricultural lsnds to sale L
actual settlers notwithstanding tn
/ Jesse on TIE 18th OF March, 1887, AIT
i wss adopted by vote Of sixty
SIX yeas TO twentY-ioUr nays (See Hons
Journals, PAGES 723 and 724) Mr. Payne
We-) had the control ana maEsgeM ent c
tlu bill il the House, voted against II
amendment. On the following mornini
Mr.. Dolen entered q motion to recons!de
the vote by which my amendment Wa
adopted, and Mr.. Wood moved to tabl
that motion, which only prevailed by III
slender majority Of six, the vote standin
46 yeas TO 40 nays, with MIR. Payne agai
voting against the amendment See Hous
Journals, page 726). Who Cause
this remarkable change of opinio
among the,members in the short period c
one night2 Before the adoptie1> of thi